Call of Duty Ghosts review

CALL OF DUTY is one of the biggest gaming franchises on the planet and for the last half decade every new title has blown the competition out of the water in sales. As a consequence publisher Activision has ensured that each new Call of Duty doesn't stray too far from the series' core run and gun gameplay. Because of this, in recent years Call of Duty games have at times come close to seeming a little stagnant.

Aware of this, Activision teamed up with developer Infinity Ward for its latest Call of Duty: Ghosts title to add a host of new features that build on the series' core strengths. However, even with these additions, many of Call of Duty's core mechanics remain the same, meaning that, while fun, playing can at times feel a little rehashed.

This is particularly true in Call of Duty: Ghosts' single player campaign. The campaign tells the tale of two brothers, Logan and Hesh, as they fight the evil South American Federation forces invading their homeland. Not giving away any spoilers, Call of Duty: Ghosts' story is exactly what you'd expect from any Call of Duty game, featuring countless hours of ham-fisted dialogue that only serves to explain why Logan and Hesh are in each area of the world, between each of the game's segmented high intensity gun fighting sections.

Call of Duty: Ghosts' single player gameplay is close to identical to that of most recent Call of Duty games, tasking you to run from one end of the level to the other, occasionally clicking the X button to achieve a specific goal, like planting a bomb or sabotaging a vehicle along the way.

Call of Duty: Ghosts also has the same squad mechanic, ensuring you always have at least one AI buddy coming with you on the mission. As well as providing help in firefights, the buddy also ensures that you're never unclear what you're doing, and will shout out commands and advice about what you're meant to do next. While this worked in previous games, given the arrival of numerous more open and expansive shooters, it at times can make Call of Duty: Ghosts' single player campaign feel like little more than an interactive movie that you're being pulled through.